The Progress of Romance  

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The Progress of Romance (1785) is a book by Clara Reeve, an innovative history of prose fiction.

It is a precursor to modern histories of the novel and specifically as upholding the tradition of female literary history heralded by Elizabeth Rowe (1674 – 1737) and Susannah Dobson, d. 1795.

One of the stories in this work, "The History of Charoba, Queen of Egypt", was the inspiration for Walter Savage Landor's first major work Gebir.

Excerpt (rough ocr)

T H E PROGRESS cf ROMANCE, 1r131110UGH TIMES" COUNTRIES, AND MANNERS; W 1 T H EM A R S ON THE GOOD AND BAD EFFECTS OP IT ON THEM RESPECTIVELY; IN A COVIL11 EVENTING CONVERSATIONS.. Y C. R, tr -r H o k 0 1-142 ENG Ll SH BARON, Tics TWO NI E..VTOR 5, ac IN TWO VOLUMES.. V 0 L. I. ; ..! II- Emit bloc through all ages trer feerir, That with the Fraire of 211:13ei and chevalrie The Fake of kaiak ftill hack ioyneci Arad that for rearms rpeciall priritse, For either cloth oo other much relic For he roc feemes modt fit the faire w fences That can her WI defend from willenier And flue mid fit his ferrice cloth deferrt, That faireft is, and from her faith will never &mum. SraNSEIII Fatty enc.. Hook 4. Canto 5. Star= 1. PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR' BY w. NEYSIER., COLCHESTEL, &ND SOLD BY HIM SOLD ALSO BY G. C. I. AND J. ROBIN10Z1,,. V.4 PATER-KOSTEA ROW., LONDON. DCC

PREFACE. OMANCES may not improperly be called the p-olite literature of early ages, and they have been the favourite amufements of later times. In rude and barbarous ages, they refided in the breath of oral tradition, in civilized nations they were of courfe committed to writ¬ing: and in Bill more polifhed periods, they have vane& their forms, and have appeared either in prole or verfe, ac¬cording to the genius of the writers, or the talk of the times. A z In

In the following pages, I have en-deavoured to trace the progrefs of this fpecies of compofition, through all its fucceffive ft-ages and variations, to point out its moil finking effeas and influence upon the manners, and to affift according to my beft judgment, the reader's choice, amidft the almoft infinite variety it af¬fords, in a feleaion of filch as are molt worthy of a place in the libraries of readers of every clafs, who Peek either for information or entertainment. How far I have fucceeded in this at¬tempt, muff now be left to the decifion of that tribunal which I have ever approached with the moft relpedful diffidence ; and whole indulgence, I am perhaps in the prefent initance concern¬ed more than ever to implore. While many eminent writers have (if I may be permitted the allufion) fkim- med over the furface of this fubjedt, it Teemed Teemed to me that none of them had founded the depths of it.—Of metrical Romances they have treated largely, but with refpe& to thole in profe, their in-formations have been fcanty and imper-feet. When they approach that period of oblcurity, which began with the fpread-ing of Chriftianity over the weftern world, they drop entirely the latter and equally effential branch of the fubjea nor do they refume it, till the fixteenth Century, when Calprenede, the Snude-ries, DIT.Trij, and other French writers, revived the talk for profe Romances, by their produaions. To fill up this chafm in the hiftory of Romance, to ready the miftakes that have been made by indifcriminate praife or blame, to methodife and arrange the works themfelves, and to afcertain as many of the Authors, and the dates of A 3 them

? REF A ti them as I could get information of, to mark the dthinguithing chargers of the Romance and the Novel, to point out the boundaries of both : and laftly to prefent to the reader's eye a feleaion of the beft writings of both kinds. Thefe objecTts would I thought, have a fair claim to the attention of the pub¬lic; and if executed with fidelity and judgment, would I hoped merit its ap-probation and encouragement. While I was collecting materials for this work, I held many converfations with fame ingenious friends upon the various fubjeas, which it offered to be inveftigated and explained. This cir- curnitance naturally fuggerted to me the Idea of the • dialogue form ; in which oppofite fentiments would admit of a more full and accurate examination, ar- guments and objections might be more clearly Elated and difcuffed, than in a regular feries of Drays, or even letters, not to mention, that the variety and contrail which naturally afire out of the Dialogue, might enliven a work of ra, ther dry deduCtion, and render it more entertaining to the reader, and not the leis ufeful or inftruaive.—In this Idea I was confirmed by the great ruccers of fame late writers in this way, particularly of Madame de Genlis, in her excellent work called the Théâtre d'éducation à l'usage de la jeunesse.

It was not till I had compleated my defign, that I read either Dr. Beattie's Difertation on Fable and Romance, or Mr. tartan's HOory of Englith Poetry. —To the peru fat of there books, I was molt ftrongly recommended by two friends, to whom I had fhewn my own work, and to whore judgment I owe all poffible refped and deference.—I obeyed their injunctions, and have additional A 4 obligations

obligations to them for the entertain-merit afforded me by thefe excellent writers —I foon found that they neither interfered with my plan, nor had anti- cipated my fubjed, yet I own I was well pleafed, that neither of thefe books had fallen in my way before I had fini-filed my own work ; as otherwife it might have been fuppofed that I had borrowed my lights from them, where ever there happened to be a concurrence of opinion, or of reprefentation. Dr. Beattie has walked over the ground, and marked out its boundaries, but he has paid little attention to its various produce, whether of flowers, herbs, or weeds ; except a very few works of capital merit, (force of which he confeffes he had not read through) he configns all the reit to oblivion. Thus Genius thinks it enough to firike out the outline, and leaves to indultry and inferior inferior talents, the minuter parts, and more laborious trAk of detail and ar-rangement. From Mr. Warton's Hillory of Englijh Poetry, I might indeed have derived confiderable advantages, had I met with it fooner. I was happy however to find, that in many inflames, my opinions were confirmed, and my arguments firength-ened by this learned and judicious writ-er. It had long been a received opinion, that Romances were communicated to the Weftern world by the Crufades.— Mr. Warton allows that they were in- troduced at a much earlier period, viz. by the Saracens; who came from Africa, and fettled in Spain, about the beginning of the eighth Century.—From Spain he imagines, they found an eafy paff-age into France and Italy.—He fcirther examines the Hypotbejes of Dr. Percy and Mr. Mallet;

PREFACE.

Mallet; who derive there fitctions from the ancient Longs of the Gothic Bards and Scalds : this Idea he allows to be well founded, fo far at leaft as it does not exclude his own Sy em.—Thee fictions (he fays) had taken deep root in Europe, and prepared the way for the Arabian fables which were introduced in the ninth Century, by which they were in a great meafure ruperfeded. That Chivalry, which was the fub- ftance of Romance, exifted among the Goths he allows, but adds, that under the Feudal eitabliihment, it received new llrength and vigour : and was invested with the formalities of a regular in.fti- tution —Which Dr. Percy li kewife ac- knowledges in his remarks on Chivalry; the pailage is quoted in the body of this work.—Mr. Warton next proceeds to the Minftrels, Troubadours, and early poets of this country, which is his pro- per

PREFACE. Xi per fubjeet ; it was entirely befide his plan to enter further into the fubjed of prole Romances. It is remarkable, that among the ma¬ny learned and ingenious writers who have treated this lubjed, few have ta-ken proper notice of the Greek Ro-mances, which may juilly be deemed the parents of all the re. The learned men of our own country, have in general affeCted a contempt for this kind of writing, and looked upon Romances, as proper furniture only for a lady's Libra-ry.—Not fo the French and Italian writ-ters, on the contrary they have not only deemed them worthy their own atten-tion; but have laboured to make them deferving of ours.

I mean not however to include all the learned of our country under this obfervation.—The names of Hurd, Beattie, Warton, Percy, and Mallet, are an honourable exception, a fubjea that has been thought worthy of any portion of their time and attention, cannot be un-deferving the notice and protedion of the public. It is with fincere pleafure I add a name that will not difgrace the lift, a writer of my own fex, Mrs. .Dobson the elegant writer of the History of the Troubadours and the Memoirs Ancient Chivalry. In anfwer to come objeaions, made by a learned writer, whofe friendfhip does me honour, to my account of the antiquity of Romance-writing; I was led to aik him, why the fi&ions of the /Egyptians and Arabians, of the Greeks and Romans, were not entitled to the appellations of Romances, as well as thole of the middle ages, to which it was generally appropriated ?—I was an- fwered by another queftion.—What did I know of the Romances of thole coun- tries ? tries ?—Had I ever fees an !Egyptian Romance ? I replied, yes, and I would ihortly give him a proof of it. I ac-cordingly compiled and methodifed the Iljflory of Charoba kyeen of "Egypt.— My friend was furprifed and puzzled, and anfwered me to this effeft. 44 I return your 'Egyptian flory with " thanks ; whence you took it, or how " far it is your own I know not."—As I think this piece a great literary curio- fity, 1 (hall give it to the public, at the end of this work.—That I may not ap- pear to claim a right to the invention of this Rory, I fhall inform my readers from whence it is taken.—It is extraCted from a book called—The Riflory of An- cient Agyfrt, according to the Traditions Ef the Arabians.—Written in Arabic, by the Reverend Thaw Murtadi, the Son of Gapipbus, the Son of Cbatem, the Son of Moyens the Macdffian .—Tranflated in- to

PREFACE. to French 47 M. Fattier, Arahic Pro. fefir to Louis 14.th King of France. This tranilator in his Preface (peaks of this &Dry in high terms " Were there nothing in this Rory (lays he) worthy of our notice but the Fable of Gebirus and Charoba, with the Adventure of the Shepherd, and the Sea-nymph, I ihould not repent of my trouble in this Tra.nflation.—I little thought to find in an Arabian writer, a &cry fo nearly refembling the fables of the Greek and Latin poets.—While I was writing, it fre-quently reminded me of the 4th book of the Odyffey, and of feveral parts of Ovid's Metamorpholiu, This Flory is mentioned in the inge¬nions Mrs. Rowe's 110ory of yofepb, a poem not fo much known and valued as it cleferves to be.—I truft that my readers will not be difpleafth with a quotation from it. When

XVi PREFACE.

to any particular period or countries. They were the delight of barbarous ages, and they have always kept their ground amongft the multiplied amufe¬men is of mor, refined and cultivated pe¬riods, containing like every other branch of human literature, both good and evil things. They are not to be put into the hands of young perfons without dif¬tindion and referve, but under proper refiridions and regulations they will af¬ford much ufeful inftruftion, as well as rational and elegant amufement. In this view therefore they are equally entitled to our attention and refpeet, as any other works of Genius and literature. PRO GRES

PROGRESS OF ROMANCE. EVENING I. Hortevius, Sophronia, Eupora o. Eu HORTE NS r us, I am proud pb of a vi fit from you, tho' I am ignorant of the motive to which I -am in-debted for it. Hort. What Madam, do you think you can give a challenge, and go off with impu-nity ?—I am come hither to demand an ex-planation of your behaviour hit Thurfday evening at Sephronia's houfe; and I have brought her with me to be a witnefs to our difpute—of the defeat of one of us,—or per-haps of our compromife, and reconciliation. Sapb. Or that Eupbrafia than make a Con-vert to her own opinion. VOL. 1.

2 PROGRESS OF ROMANCE. PROGRESS OF ROMANCE. 3

Eupb. I am obliged to the occafion that brings you both to fpend an hour with me.— Pray be feated my friends, and let me un¬derhand your meaning.—Surely I was not fo prefumptuous as to challenge Hortenfius? Hort. I will not Puffer you either by rail-lery or compliment to evade my purpofe.— In the courfe of our late converfation, you threw out feveral hints that !truck me as ei-ther new, or WICOMI71010, an refpe6t to the works of the ancient and modern writers ;—but what furprifed me molt of all, you Teemed to degrade Epic poetry, and to place it on an equality with the old Romance. I with you to explain your fentirnents on this head, for I cannot account for your defence of a kind of writings that arc generally exploded. little expeeted to hear Ettpbrajia ridicule the works of the great Ancients.—(You fmile) —Yes Madam, raillery was the only weapon you deigned to ufe, in oppofition to my ar¬gurnents.—Yet you told me you had better reafons in referve, but you did not choofe then to enter upon the fubjeet, as it would engrofs too much of our time and attention. Eupb. Ettph. Your memory Sir, is very retentive, and there is no warding off your attack ; per¬haps I only feemed to degrade your favour¬ites, and exalt the others, becaufe I op-poled opinions long received, and but little examined; while in reality I only meant to place each in their proper rank, both as to merit and utility. Mort. To convince me of that; you mult give me a full explanation of your opinions in refpeet to both, and alfo of the founda-tion of them. Scpb. I have prom ifed in your behalf that you alai! give Hortenfius full fatisfaltion, and my honour is engaged for it—I know this is a fubjeet you are not unprepared to fpeak upon. Eupb. Methinks you demand no trifling fatisigtion for my Challenge, as it pleafes you to call it. However I Ilia not refufe to comply with your requeit, if you can have patience to Men, while I inveitigate a fub-jea of greater extent than perhaps you may fuppofe, and which though I am not quite unprepared for, I am afraid to begin. B 2 Sob,

A review by Tobias Smollett

The Progrefs of Romance, through Times, Countries, and Manners. Two Volumes. 8vo. 55. Sewed. Robinſon . T HIS fubject has been frequently examined, when it has oc curred in larger works ; but, as a part only of a whole, it has not probably been confidered with the attention which it de ferves. The romances of the fixteenth and ſeventeenth cen turies have been fo often the objects of ridicule, that au thors have commonly decided without reading, and rejected without examination ; and almoſt every work, " under the ſame title, has funk into equal contempt. It was in vain to lead the reader to theſe forgotten fables , by telling them that they were once the fources of entertainment to the gay, the witty, and even to the learned ; that from this fire Milton fre quently kindled his torch, and ſcattered light and flame into metaphyfical difquifitions, or auftere complaints ; that from this fource he frequently threw an additional luftre on even his own fplendid imagery. Theſe and all other arguments will fail, for the torrent which has changed its fource will pur fue it in fpite of human efforts , The author ofthe two little volumes before us feems to be bet ter acquainted with thefe antiquated hiftories, than her prede ceffors in the ſame department. Her views are more general and extenfive; the purſues the whole train of ideal adventurers, col lects them into groupes, and examines their pretenfions. In this tract ſhe ſometimes feems to trefpafs on what the claffical enthufiaft will call holy ground ; for the dares, the boldly dares, to infinuate, that the Iliad and the Odyffey are only Let us examine this fubject. Dr. Johnſon calls a romance a military fable of the middle ages; a tale of wild adventures of war and love,' romances. " This is cep The Progrefs of Romance. 55 certainly the idea which we commonly affix to romance ; but it will be obvious that, if in the earlier periods, we find tales equally wild, containing fimilar adventures, we must not ex clude them from this clafs. This will bring us more nearly to the definition of our author, viz. a fabulous ſtory of ſuch actions as are commonly afcribed to heroes, or men of extra ordinary courage and abilities. Though there be nothing to object to the deſcription , it is obviouſly too extenfive ; for it includes the epic poems, which, though they are arranged under a feemingly unexceptionable definition , are certainly not included in the original idea. The error is in the attempt to define what will not bear to be limited. From the Æneid, the moft judicious and refpectable form ofthe epos , to the moft incredible romance, there are ſo many fhades, differing in a manner ſcarcely perceptible, that we can fix at no one point. It is the fame in the varying forms and functions , between a man and an oyster, yet they ought not to be arranged toge ther; from the vegetable, upward to the animal, and down ward to the mineral kingdom. In fact, when knowlege is extended, definitions are no more.. It may be afked, as we have not objected to the definition which our author has a dopted, why we will not include the epic poem in a claſs ſo refpectable as this will be in fuch circumstances ? For this rea fon, that when we make our limits fo extenſive, we deftroy their uſe ; we blend the most diffimilar objects, not only diffi ` milar in form and appearance, but in their conftituent parts and effects. Romances, even in a more limited view, are certainly not peculiar to the middle ages ; we have formerly hinted, that the Life of Thefens by Plutarch is ftrikingly of this kind ; in poetry, the Argonautics of Apollonius is a per formance not very different ; furely theſe ought not to be con founded with the Iliad and the Æneid. Of dogs, the valued file Diftinguishes the fwift; the flow, and fubtle, The houſekeeper, the hunter ; every one According to the gift which bounteous nature Hath in him clofed ; whereby he does receive Particular addition, from the bill That writes them all alike' If we were obliged to point out any difcrimination between fome ofthefe hiftories more nearly refembling epics, and the epics themſelves, it would be the conduct of the ftory. The fubject is a ſingle one, and the conduct of it relates to that on dy. The ftory is taken up at the middle, at the part which is connected with the defign ; and, when it is accomplished, fuddenly breaks off. A modern performance, in its progrefs " 1 E 4 re 56 The Progrefs of Romance . refembling the epic, and in ſome of its events, the romance is De Solis' Conquest of Mexico. Perhaps we have already ftaid too long on the threſhold ; but our author's opinion came in a delufive questionable ſhape. It was worth examining ; and, if not true, worth refuting. In pursuing the fubject , this fancied analogy feems to have miled the enquirer. We allow that there is often a ſtriking refemblance between works of high and low eftimation ; but the reſemblance is in fome trifling points : thofe who have read the Odyffey, and the Adventures of Sinbad the Sailor, can not certainly perceive it in any great degree. Both authors undoubtedly poffefs bold imaginations, the adventures of each are marvellous , and the characters various ; but the fame re femblance will occur between the Arabian Nights Entertain ments, and the plays of Shakspeare : fhould thefe very diffe rent kinds of compofition be on this account confounded ? The author begins with the early romances, which are prin cipally thofe of the modern Greeks, and continues her hiſtory through the middle ages, to the clofe of the year 1770. In many refpects , this hiftory. is little more than a catalogue : the decifions are fometimes juft and candid ; but we cannot obferve in them any deep difcernment, or very accurate dif crimination The catalogue is moft perfect in the earlier pe riods The author is often deficient in determining even the moral tendency of different works ; the frequently feems to de cide from common report. We ſhall infert a fhort defence of Cervantes, which we fear is juft. The paffion for thefe books, (viz. romances, ) was in fome degree checked ; but it was not eradicated . -There is good reaſon to believe , that even Cervantes himſelf, was not cured of it. Hort. Nay, if you animadvert upon Cervantes, I know not what to fay -but I fhall expect proofs of this affertion . Euph. I fhall produce them prefently. -Befides his Gala tea (of which he fpeaks with pleafure, and refcues it from the , condemned books in Don Quixote's library, and after he had written his novels upon a new plan, ) he compoſed a ſerious ro mance, called Perfiles and Sigifmonda, which remains extant, as a proof against him. It is faid that he preferred this to all his other works :-he compares it with the Ethiopics of Heli odorus, being written in the fame ftyle and manner. What fhall we fay of the man, who had produced Don Quixote, and could afterwards write a book of the fame kind as thofe he fa tyrized? May we not conclude that he ftill loved them in his heart ? • Horty 1 The Progress of Romance. 57 - Hort. Permit me to offer a reaſon on his behalf, -a reaſon that makes me figh over the fate of genius. - Cervantes ! the gallant foldier ! -the delightful companion ! -the charming writer ! the pride and boaſt of his country ! -Cervantes want ed bread. -he wrote this celebrated work in a priſon, and knowing the taſte and humour of his countrymen, compoſed fuch a book, as was moſt likely to pleaſe them, and procure re lief to his miferies.' We fhall fubjoin to this extract a judicious defence of the author of Eloifa. Rouffeau faw that the women on the continent, while maid ens, paid due refpect to their honour and character, but as foon as they were married they entertained all the world, and en couraged gallants ; of the two evils he thought a fingle per fon's indulging a criminal paffion, of lefs pernicious confe- . quence to fociety, than a married woman who commits adul-. tery:-upon this principle he wrote this book. He puts the character ofa woman who encourages lovers after marriage, in oppofition to one who having committed the greateft fault be fore marriage, repents, and recovers her principles . -He in forces the fanctity of the marriage vow, he fets the breach ofit in a light to fhock every confiderate mind, he fhews that where it is broken, nothing but hatred and diſguſt ſucceeds ; the con fidence a man should place in his wife, the tenderneſs he ſhould feel for his offspring, is deftroyed , and nothing remains but-in famy and mifery. If Rouffeau intended by this work to give a check to this fhameful intercourfe of the fexes, fo frequently practiſed on the continent, under the fpecious name of gallantry, he is to be commended ; and if it produced effects he did not forefee, he ought to be excuſed .' On the fubject of Richardfon , we can allow for a little fe-. male partiality ; but his works are exalted too extravagantly, and thofe of Fielding proportionably depreffed. Yet, in this account of the Progress of Romance, ' there is ſcarcely an attempt to delineate the literary character of theſe two great luminaries of the fyftem, from whofe example the moft ftrik ing variations have been produced. The author's talents feem to have been fo much exhaufted in attempting to prove the abfurd romances of the middle ages, to be epic poems, that the cannot attend to a new creation in the literary world, the comic epos, of which Tom Jones was fo brilliant an ex ample. The fupreme judge of romances fpeaks in this man ner of one of its moft finished ornaments. As I confider wit only as a fecondary merit, I must begleave to obferve, that his writings are much inferior to Richardſon's in morals and exemplary characters, as they are fuperior in wit and dan " 58 The Progrefs of Romance. and learning. Young men ofwarm paffions and not ſtrict prin ciples, are always defirous to ſhelter themſelves under the fanc tion of mixed characters, wherein virtue is allowed to be pre dominant. In this light the character of Tom Jones is capable of doing much mifchief ; and for this reafon a tranflation of this book was prohibited in France. On the contrary, no harm can poffibly arife from the imitation of a perfect character, though the attempt fhould fall fhort of the original. Soph. This is an indifputable truth, there are many objec tionable ſcenes in Fielding's works, which I think Hortenfius will not defend . Hort. My objections were in character, and your's are fo likewife ; as you have defended Richardfon, fo I will defend Fielding. I allow there is fome foundation for your remarks, nevertheleſs in all Fielding's works, virtue has always the fu periority the ought to have, and challenges the honours that are justly due to her, the general tenor of them is in her favour, andit were happy for us, if our language had no greater cauſe of complaint in her behalf. < Euph. There we will agree with you. -Have you any fur ther obfervations to make upon Fielding's writings ? Hort. Since you refer this part of talk to me, I will your offer a few more remarks .-Fielding's Amelia is in much lower . eftimation than his Jofeph Andrews, or Tom Jones ; which have both received the ftamp of public applaufe.' To Dr. Smollett, the fair critic is fomewhat more complai fant ; but her account of his novels is fo very trifling, that we are almost ready to fufpect that he has not yet read them. • Dr. Smollet's novels abound with wit and humour, which fome critics think is carried beyond the limits of probability ; all his characters are over charged, and he has exhibited fome fcenes that are not proper for all readers ; but upon the whole, his works are of a moral tendency , their titles are, Roderick Random -Peregrine Pickle-Sir Lancelot Greaves- Ferdinand Count Fathom Adventures of an Atom.-Many years after thefe he gave the public another, in no refpect inferior, and in fomé fuperior to them all, called Humphrey Clinker.' We have given extracts of various merit, that the reader may judge for himself. If the decifion is not in favour ofthe work, we are at leaft confident that it has not been influenced by a partiality in the felection . Its form is that of dialogue ; but, as it is conducted, it has all the inconveniencies, without the authority, which would have arifen from the fentiments having been attributed to men of character and learning. We have, however, examined this fubject at fufficient length in a former Review. In the prefent inftance, the ceremonies at meeting and taking leave, the numerous compliments very freely be ftowed, interrupt the fubject, and cannot fail to difguft the reader. Efay on the Life and Character of Petrarch. 59 reader. Perhaps we are within bounds when we remark, that one half. of either little volume would have held every thing which the moſt complaifant reader might have thought important. The Egyptian romance at the end is entitled the Hiſtory of Charoba Queen of Egypt, and is truly a literary curiofity. It is extracted from a book called -The Hiftory of Ancient Egypt, according to the Traditions of the Arabians.--Written in Arabic, by the Reverend Doctor Murtadi , the Son of Ga piphus, the fon of Chatem, the Son of Malfem the Macde fian.-Tranflated into French by M. Vattier, Arabic Profeffor to Louis 14th King of France.' If the author could find more of thefe early romances, we fhould more readily acknowledge our obligation to her than for her imperfect delineation of the progrefs of the fubject. Efay on the Life and Character of Petrarch. To which are added, Seven of his Sonnets, tranflated from the Italian. 8vo. Is. 6d. Cadell.